Me: What the fuck is wrong with you people?
Rookie: Oh, the man of the hour is finally here! Got anything to confess, Daddy?
Me: Yes, to the cops after I kill you for blabbering on about God knows what.
Rookie: Ooooh, touchy, I see.
This kid seriously needs to learn when to shut the fuck up. His big mouth is going to get him introuble one day.
Levi: Spill it, Rookie! I’m balding at this rate.
Rookie: Our Daddy is really a daddy!
Oliver: WTF!?
Lucas: He’s got a kid!?
Levi: He’s pregnant?
Ezra: Dude, you knocked some chick up and didn’t even tell me!
Me: What!? NO!!
Rookie: Guys, you got it wrong. What I meant was he has a cat. He’s a cat daddy. He always has orangehair all over him.
I huff a shocked laugh. This motherfucker is certifiably crazy. He just about gave me a heart attack and put me in an early grave.
I shake my head, and am about to type out a response correcting him that she’s Andie’s when my fingers freeze. I’d be putting my foot in my mouth if I told them that. The flurry of questions leading to my doom would never cease.
And agreeing to it would be a lie.
I drop on the bed with a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose at the bubbling headache. We really need to come clean to Ezra before we get caught. It would cause unimaginable damage to our friendship, and it’s too important for me to let it get to that.
* * *
Andie’s head is leaning on my shoulder, her arms entwined around mine, setting my soul on fire and calming it down with her presence all at once.
We’ve been together for months now, from the moment I agreed to help her explore her sexuality. Yet, every day with her feels like aprivilege, one that’s fragile and could be stolen from me at any moment.
I’ve discussed my pessimistic thoughts in therapy, and even though I’m well aware that this is just me being paranoid and overwhelmed by the happiness I’m experiencing, there’s still a faint, nagging voice at the back of my skull telling me to be careful and to enjoy these moments while they last.
I’m half convinced that it’s because I’m on edge of Ezra finding out about us before we tell him. It’s obvious that he’ll be furious either way, but maybe if we tell him first, his anger might be reduced by some margin.
At this point, I’m desperate for any silver lining in the dark clouds that seem to be hovering over us.
“Where’d you go?” Andie tugs at my shirt, catching my attention.
“Huh?” I look down at her, bringing my eyes back into focus. “Nowhere, just thinking about what Seb pulled today.” Shaking my head at the thoughts of that sly jerk. He loves to pinch people.
“What did he do?” She asks, her eyes locked on Millie as she saunters ahead of us on thesidewalk, her locks swept by the crisp night wind.
An amused chuckle leaves her mouth when I finish rattling the story, annoyance creeping back in.
“We need to tell him, though,” she sighs, leaning her weight into my body as we walk freely near my place, glad that there aren’t many people milling about. Still, I adjust the bill of my cap, not wanting to get recognized.
“Yeah.” I slide my hands in my pockets, nodding in agreement as the weight of our lie sits heavy on both of us.
A gloomy air settles between us for a few moments before it’s lifted when Andie’s lips curve into a soft smile. Following her line of sight, I find a couple carrying their infant in a stroller, looking content and happy with where they are in their life.